Happily Ever After Instead
by bughead2017
Summary: "Like Romeo and Juliet, but we live happily ever after instead."


23-year-old Betty Cooper's green eyes twinkled with unshed tears as they stared at the mirror in front of her.

She's waited for this day since she was a child.

The blonde curls hanging by her shoulders, pale pink peonies with white roses and ivory hydrangeas, the pretty white dress, a something old and blue, a something borrowed and new.

The perfect fairytale.

Jughead proposed at the Five Seasons, much like when they were teenagers, but this time, it was a much more serious question. It wasn't just about who would be his right-hand man at the Serpent meetings or who take over for him if he got hurt. It was him asking her to be by his side until they took their last breaths.

They planned the wedding together, unusual for couples nowadays. He went to every cake tasting, every venue tour, every meeting, whether it be the photographer, the DJ, or the caterers, and he helped pick out the music and the colors of the flowers. He wanted to be apart of the day that would bind them for the rest of their lives and she couldn't have been happier.

The only thing he wasn't a part of was picking out her dress. She went in wanting something simple - no big ball gown, no beading, no details. She imagined a plain, white gown, basically just a piece of fabric and two straps.

She tried on dress after dress and none of them stuck out to her, all exactly what she asked for, but nothing like she imagined. She was on the verge of tears, thinking she would leave the store empty-handed, however, her best friend and maid of honor had another idea in mind.

While Betty was on her seventeenth dress, Veronica snuck off to the racks in search of a dress she knew would render everyone speechless. The months that Betty spent researching dress styles online, Veronica did her own research, finally finding a dress that would make Betty look like the goddess that she was.

It took her by surprise. She never, in a million years, would've picked out something like it for herself, but the moment she put it on, she couldn't see herself in anything else.

It was a soft ivory color, embroidered with flowers from top to bottom. It had a deep-cut sweetheart neckline and open back with a flowy train.

Simple and elegant - exactly what she wanted, but not at all what she imagined.

The second Betty saw herself in the dress for the first time, salty tears fell from her eyes. It was the one and everyone knew it.

A knock at the dressing room door disturbed the blonde's thoughts, but she continued to gaze into the mirror. Veronica came into view behind her, the raven-haired woman resting her chin on Betty's shoulder.

"You look stunning,"

Betty smiled and blinked away the tears threatening to fall, "Thank you,"

Veronica grabbed Betty's shoulders and turned her around to face her, "What's on your mind, B?"

Betty closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her lip trembling violently. Veronica's eyebrows furrowed with concern and led Betty over to a chair, "Betty, what's wrong?"

A sob fell from Betty's lips, "What if he doesn't want to marry me?"

Veronica pulled Betty's hands into her own and rubbed her thumb back and forth, "That's what you're worried about?"

Betty shrugged and more tears fell, "He is so amazing and everything I've ever wanted, but maybe I'm not good enough for him. I don't want him to regret marrying me,"

"You know he said the same thing?"

Betty's eyes widened and she shook her head in disbelief, "What? Why would he feel like that? Juggie will be the best husband! I know it,"

Veronica stood abruptly and held out her hand to Betty, "Then let's go. He's waiting for you,"

Betty wiped the tears from her face, grabbed her bouquet, and held onto Veronica's hand as they made their way to the main hall. They were met by a teary-eyed FP Jones, who wiped at his eyes profusely, trying to keep his emotion at bay.

Betty let go of Veronica and walked to FP, who immediately pulled her into his chest, "You look beautiful, sweetheart,"

"Thank you. Do you think he'll like it? The dress, I mean," Betty mumbled into his chest.

FP nodded into her hair, "I bet you ten dollars he'll cry like a baby,"

Betty squinted at him and smiled, "You're on, old man."

After her father, Hal, was no longer in the picture, FP stepped up and became a father to her. After today, she was going to be his daughter anyway.

Their embrace was interrupted as the music started, the doors opened, and the wedding began.

As Veronica and Archie started down the aisle, Betty and FP waited for their cue. Betty sniffled and gripped onto FP's arm, her nerves becoming overwhelming.

"Don't let me fall,"

"Never,"

The moment the bride and groom locked eyes, it was as if the world around them had faded.

It was just them in that chapel, Betty slowly decreasing the distance between them.

Jughead's eyes glistened and his chin quivered as he kept his eyes trained on hers, his heart threatening to burst from his chest.

Betty's eyes glistened and her chin quivered as she kept her eyes trained on his, her heart threatening to burst from her chest.

After what felt like an eternity, Betty and FP made it to the end of the aisle. The officiant, who just so happened to be Fred Andrews, stepped forward and asked, "Who gives this woman to be wed?"

"I do," FP spoke quietly and let go of Betty's hand, placing a kiss on her rosy cheek, and stepping to the side of Jughead.

Fred directed the guests to take their seats and opened the bible in his hand, "Today is a celebration. A celebration of love, of commitment, of friendship, of family, and of two people who are in it for forever. All of us here today have our own love stories. Some are short, others long. Some are yet unwritten, while others are just getting to the good part. There are chapters in all of our stories that are sad or disappointing — and others that are exciting and full of adventure."

Betty drew her eyes away from Jughead's and looked around at the people who held importance in the couple's lives. Her mother sat on the front row, dabbing at her eyes with a wadded up tissue and stared at FP with affection in her eyes, a radiant and proud smile on her lips.

Her mother sat next to Jellybean, who stared at her brother in adornment, and the youngest of the Jones' held onto her own true love's hand. Cheryl's fingers were intertwined with Toni's in her lap, her head resting on Cheryl's shoulder, both thankful for each other. Kevin's arm lied on the back of Fangs' chair and his hand on Kevin's thigh. Veronica mouthed an 'I love you' to Archie who returned it with a grin.

These people were all a part of their love story.

"And that brings them here. A time to pause, look back, and smile at all the moments that brought them here. And a time to look ahead at all the moments that are still to come. You fell in love by chance, but you're here today because you're making a choice. You both are choosing each other. You've chosen to be with someone who enhances you, who makes you think, makes you smile, and makes every day brighter. You're about to make promises to each other that you intend to keep. You're going to vow to take care of each other, to stand up for one another, and find happiness in the other. There's a simple premise to each of these promises: you're vowing to be there. You're teaming up and saying to the other, "Every experience I am going to have, I want you to be a part of."

Betty wiped a tear that slipped down Jughead's face and he kissed her palm, the gesture showing everyone just how in love they were.

"Now, look at one another and remember this moment in time. Shortly you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will never quite be the same. We've come to the point of your ceremony where you are going to say your vows to one another. Let these words be your personal statement of love and commitment to each other. Elizabeth, your vows?"

Betty nodded and took a shuddering breath, closing her eyes for a moment to calm herself, before opening them again.

"You are the love that came without warning. You had my heart before I could say no. I never planned on loving you this much and at times, I wonder if it's all a dream, if I'm just imagining standing in front of you in this moment and if I'm really this lucky. You changed my life without even trying and I can't imagine what things would be like if I hadn't met you,"

Betty's lip quivered and a quiet sob danced from her mouth, "I was so undeserving and yet, you were so relentless. I was a disaster and the worst of its kind, but you still had the audacity to let me know that I was beautiful. I have more issues than I could possibly count and on my worst days, I'll go from happy to sad in seconds. I'll push you away and I might even drive you insane. But I promise you this, nobody could ever think about loving you as much as I do."

Betty stared into his eyes in awe, her cheeks shimmering with fresh tears, "You found parts of me I didn't know existed and in you, I found a love I no longer believed was real. It always has been and will forever be you. I'm so thankful that for the rest of my life, I get to share my milkshakes with you."

Jughead chuckled and wiped his eyes on his sleeve, "Well, I don't know how I'm going to top that,"

The guests laughed along with him and there was not a dry eye in the room. He placed his palm against her cheek and wiped her tears away with his thumb before reaching for her hands at her sides.

"Elizabeth Cooper, I still remember you as a little girl who longed for someone to love her with every ounce of their being. How lucky am I to get to be that someone? To tell you the truth, I don't have much to offer," He looked down sheepishly, and then returned his gaze to her green orbs, "But I'll still give you everything I've got, even if it's barely a thing at all. I'll give you late nights, long hugs, sweet messages, someone to talk to, someone to care for, someone who will always be here for you," His thumb caressed the back of her hand, "A hand to hold, somebody to lean on, because at the end of the day, you're the person I want to come home to. You're the person I want to tell how my day went and you're the person I want to share my happiness, sadness, frustration, and sadness with. I want to hold your hand when we grocery shop. I want to play with your hair while we watch another episode of Law and Order. I want to kiss you in the middle of your stories because I want to taste your words. I want to rub your back as we fall asleep. I want to play your favorite song when you look sad. I want to share my milkshakes with you. I want to make you laugh when you can't stop crying. I will spend the rest of my life working my ass off to give you the extraordinary life that you deserve. I will buy you flowers for no reason and talk about you non-stop and take you to movies and make you breakfast in bed. I will be the best husband that I can be because that's what you deserve. Someday, we'll wake up with thousands of pictures and stories and memories and I'm so thankful that it'll be with you,"

More tears from Betty's eyes and she looked at the crowd with a watery chuckle, "He topped it,"

The crowd burst into laughter and Fred stepped forward once again, asking for the rings. When they got engaged, he proposed with a thin band with a tiny diamond in the center and a promise that he'll replace it one day with a bigger and better one.

Today was that day and Betty had no idea.

Veronica passed his band to Betty and she slid it on his left ring finger, her hand steady for the first time that day, "I give you this ring as a daily reminder of my love for you,"

She pressed a kiss to his knuckle and Fred asked Jughead for her ring. Jughead turned to his best man and Archie placed the ring in his open palm. Betty's hand began to shake once again, her eyes flooding as she stared at the stunning diamond ring that shimmered under the light above them.

A rose gold, diamond-encrusted band with a cushion cut stone in the center. Jughead had to take out a small loan for it, but like he promised her, he would spend every day of his life giving her what she deserved.

Betty's empty hand flew to her mouth to enclose the sob that escaped and he spoke softly, "I promised you the life you deserve and I give you this ring as a daily reminder of my love for you,"

Fred spoke once more, finally saying the words they had been waiting for, "By the power of your love and commitment, and the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife! Jughead Jones, you may kiss your bride!"

And in a swift second, he had her face in his hands and his lips on hers.


End file.
